Pa. casino doubling gambling areas for smokers

BETHLEHEM, Pa. (AP) — Smokers trying to get an open slots machine at the new Sands Casino Resort in eastern Pennsylvania don’t have to worry about their luck running out.

The Bethlehem slots parlor is doubling the area gamblers can smoke to 50 percent of the gaming floor. Casino spokeswoman Laura Kelly says the decision is the result of high demand from patrons.

The change took affect Monday, the first day Sands could make the change.

Under the Pennsylvania Clean Air Act of 2008 casinos can permit smoking on 25 percent of the floor and increase that area to 50 percent if they can show the machines in the smoking area are busier than machines in the nonsmoking area.

The casino’s restaurants, including Emeril’s Chop House, are still smoke-free.